SB 292

This bill restructures chapter 11 of the Wisconsin statutes, the campaign

finance law. The bill also makes the following substantive changes:

Registration

The bill requires the following entities to register with the Government

Accountability Board or a local filing officer before accepting a contribution, making

a disbursement, or incurring an obligation:

1. Candidate committees.

2. Political parties.

3. Legislative campaign committees.

4. Political action committees.

5. Independent expenditure committees.

6. Conduits.

7. Referendum committees.

8. Recall committees.

Each entity that is required to register must appoint a treasurer or, in the case

of a conduit, an administrator to comply with the registration and reporting

requirements under the bill. A candidate may serve as the treasurer of his or her

candidate committee, but the candidate may only accept contributions and make

disbursements through his or her committee.

The bill defines a "political action committee" as an entity that has express

advocacy as its major purpose, as specified in the committee's organizational

documents or as indicated by the committee to the board.

Under the bill "express advocacy" means communication that contains terms

such as the following or their functional equivalents with reference to a clearly

identified candidate and that unambiguously relates to the campaign of that

candidate:

1. "Vote for".

2. "Elect".

3. "Support".

4. "Cast your ballot for".

5. "Smith for ... (an elective office)".

6. "Vote against".

7. "Defeat".

8. "Reject".

9. "Cast your ballot against".

The bill defines "independent expenditure committee" as any person, other

than an individual, or any permanent or temporary combination of persons

unrelated by marriage, formed for the major purpose of making independent

expenditures. The bill defines "independent expenditure" as an expenditure for

express advocacy that is not made in coordination with a candidate, candidate